Harriet St Lawrence , eldest dau. In 1827 she tried unsuccessfully to claim the Barony of Athenry which had fallen into abeyance on the death of her grandfather, the earl of Louth. House of Lords Journal Volume 62 17 February 1830 Sponsor: History of Parliament Trust Publication: Journal of the House of Lords: volume 62 Lady H. St. George's Petition claiming the Barony of Athenry, referred to Com ee for Privileges. The Earl of Shaftesbury (by His Majesty's Command) presented to the House A Petition of Arthur French St. George of Tyrone, in the County of Galway, Esquire, and Lady Harriet St. George otherwise St. Lawrence, his Wife, to His Majesty; praying "His Majesty to determine the Abeyance of the Barony of Athenry in favour of the said Lady Harriet St. George;" together with His Majesty's Reference thereof to this House, and the Report of His Majesty's Attorney General thereunto annexed. Which Petition and Reference were read by the Clerk, and are as follow; (viz.'t.) "To The King's Most Excellent Majesty. The humble Petition of Arthur French St. George of Tyrone, in the County of Galway, Esquire, and Lady Harriet St. George otherwise St. Lawrence, his Wife; "Sheweth, That Your Majesty's said Petitioner Arthur French St. George is married to Lady Harriet St. Lawrence the other Petitioner, one of the Four Daughters of William Earl of Howth by his Wife Lady Mary Bermingham, second Daughter and of one the Co-heirs of Thomas Bermingham, late Earl of Louth, of the Kingdom of Ireland, and is one of the Co-heirs of her said Mother. That the said Thomas Earl of Louth was also Baron of Athenry, and as such was the Premier Baron of Ireland, and was created Earl of Louth, with Remainder to the Heirs Male of his Body lawfully begotten, by Patent dated 23d April 1759, and died without Male Issue on or about the 11th Day of January 1799, whereupon the said Earldom became extinct. That the said Thomas Earl of Louth, by his Wife Margaret, Daughter and Heiress of Peter Daly of Quansbery, in the County of Galway, Esquire, had Two Sons, Francis and Peter, who both died Infants and without Issue, and Four Daughters; viz. 1st, Lady Elizabeth, who married Thomas Baily Heath Sewell Esquire, and had Issue; 2nd, Lady Mary, Wife of William St. Lawrence Earl of Howth as aforesaid, and who died 20th July 1793, having had Four Daughters, Harriet, Wife to Your Majesty's Petitioner Arthur French St. George, and joint Petitioner with him as aforesaid, Isabella, Wife of William Richard Viscount Glerawley, Matilda and Mary; 3rd, Lady Louisa, Wife, 1st of Joseph Henry Blake Lord Baron Wallscourt, and 2ndly of James Daly Esquire; 4th, Lady Matilda Dorothea, who died unmarried in May 1788. That the Barony of Athenry has always been reputed to be the Premier Barony of Ireland, and as far back as Records go has always had Precedence as such; and the said Earl of Louth was reputed and considered to have been the Twenty-second Baron of Athenry. "That Thomas Bermingham Daly Sewell Esquire, Son of the before-mentioned Lady Elizabeth Sewell, about the Year 1800 presented a Memorial to Charles Marquis Cornwallis, then Lord Lieutenant General and General Governor of Ireland, Setting forth that the Barony of Athenry was then in Abeyance, as above stated; and praying that His late Majesty would be pleased to order that such Abeyance, might be determined in favour of his Mother Lady Elizabeth Sewell, now Lady Elizabeth Duffield, as one of the Daughters and Coheirs of the said Thomas late Earl of Louth and Baron of Athenry. "That the said Memorial was referred to His late Majesty's Law Officers of Ireland, The Right Honorable John Toler, now Lord Norbury, John Stewart Esquire, now Sir John Stewart Bart., and St. George Daly Esquire, now one of the Honorable the Justices of the Court of King's Bench, who made their Report thereon, November 3rd, 1800, to the following Effect:— "Upon Consideration of all the Evidence aforesaid, we are humbly of Opinion that Memorialist has fully proved the several Allegations on which he professes to found his Hopes and Expectations, and that the Barony of Athenry appearing to be the most antient on the List of Barons, and being of so great Antiquity. and consequently a Barony in Fee, is now, as stated in the Petition, in Abeyance between the said Lady Elizabeth the Mother of Petitioner, the said Daughters of the said Lady St. Lawrence, and the said Lady Wallscourt; and that it belongs to His Majesty alone to determine whether the said Barony shall continue in Abeyance, or vest in any of the said Coheiresses, and whether His Majesty shall vouchsafe to bestow his Consideration and Favour on the Petitioner, as the Son of the eldest Daughter of the last Lord Athenry, and his only Male Descendent: "All which we humbly submit to your Excellency as our Report, this 3rd Day of November 1800. (Signed,) "John Toler. "John Stewart. St. George Daly." "That His late Majesty did not determine the said Abeyance in favour of the said Petitioner Thomas Sewell, or any one of the said Co-heirs. "That Your Majesty's said Petitioner Arthur French St. George Esquire, being married to the joint Petitioner Lady Harriet, one of the Co-heirs of the said Lady Mary St. Lawrence, by whom he has Sons and Daughters, and having been, and being, with all his Family, zealously and loyally attached to Your Majesty's Person and Government, and being possessed of an ample entailed Estate equal to the Support of the Dignity of Baron of Athenry, and Premier Baron of Ireland, "Humbly hopes that Your Majesty will be graciously pleased on this happy Occasion to determine the said Abeyance in favour of Petitioner, the said Lady Harriet St. George, Wife to Your Majesty's Petitioner the said Arthur French St. George, and restore to active Existence and to Ireland a Dignity which has flourished for more than Six Centuries. "And Your Majesty's Petitioners will pray, &c. "Dublin, August, 23d, 1821. "ARTHUR FR. GEORGE. "HARRIET ST. GEORGE." "Whitehall, 14th September 1821. "His Majesty is pleased to refer this Petition to Mr. Attorney General, to consider thereof, and report his Opinion what may be properly done therein; whereupon His Majesty will declare His further Pleasure. "SIDMOUTH." "Whitehall, 11th February 1830. "The King, being moved upon this Petition, is pleased to refer the same (together with the Report of The Attorney General thereunto annexed) to The Right Honorable the House of Peers, to examine the Allegations thereof as to what relates to the Petitioners Title herein mentioned, and to inform His Majesty how the same shall appear to their Lordships. "R. PEEL." Ordered, That the said Petition, with His Majesty's Reference thereof to this House, and the Report of His Majesty's Attorney General thereunto annexed, be referred to the Lords Committees for Privileges; whose Lordships having considered thereof, and heard such Persons concerning the same as they shall think fit, are to report their Opinion thereupon to the House. Papers from Ireland delivered: The House being informed, "That Mr. Johnson, from the Office of the Chief Secretary for Ireland, attended;" He was called in; and delivered at the Bar, pursuant to the Directions of several Acts of Parliament,
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